Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-04-14
COL. e. o. WEBSTER.
lie Relates Some Interesting Reminis-
cences of the Late Edwin NJ. Stanton
Especial Correspondence

lie Relates Some Interesting Reminis-
cences of the Late Edwin NJ. Stanton
Especial Correspondence
OMAHA, April T.
met Col E. D. Webst~, who was Secre-
tary Stewards private secretary during most
of Llncoln's administration, the other night
He was looking over The Century for March.
"Here is something that interests me" said
he, as he pointed out an article entitled
"Reminiscences Of Edwin NJ. Stanton; writ
| ten by q clerk of the war department" ut Is
good as far as it goes" continued he, "but
| big volume could be written on Stanton. His
| eccentricities and peculiarities would afford
abundant material for very readable book.
What 1 alone know about Stanton would
make several lengthy chapters"
"Why don't you contribute some OF your
recollections to the press?" l asked him.
81 am getting too old for that. haven't
the patience to sit down and write anything
but business letters. But now that we are
talking about Stanton, let me tell you little
story. have been asked occasionally where
served during the war The question has
been put, l suppose, because l am called
| colonel Now, the fact is, I was never in
active service in the field, and I'll tell you
| why, and at the same time prove to you that
| am fully entitled to the title Of colonel.
While was serving Secretary Seward as his
private secretary l thought my salary in that
| position was hardly sufficient compensation
| for my services; l therefore applied for an
| appointment as colonel in the regular army,
with an assignment for duty at the office OF
the secretary of war. While had no knowl-
edge of military affairs, thought would be
| as well fitted for office work as many of tue
| officers who were then wearing shoulder
straps on duty with the soft service brigade
in Worb;roto, Nv manhattan however
,,a,,ar ,.aaa,sad t,,a s.rata ren'a;red inst
49, 80 CAV ~ Ctnn.o, 81, II yrns +;;rc
| of sto,.n, ond Stress OF Wash;rgton The
Yr,;nn , ,- in tba tbroes If reInIion and TN,
"a 80 80, go, onts;da Of the nraIidant
., o. o,;,nI n,,;,I Nat,ramv arrooan,
Cd iroscihIa hnt Pnnast ne tha day was iong
| - - tr !; 49,, co.,, SENT, Lor,,S'
the au}ocrat Of autocrats. When lie rageo
| tLa XinIanca IF his languape was nositively
aweni Altbonoh 7 neyer banne,rd To ex
.a,;o,oo - ,n'salf d,,,;ra III t.bcrt time ,
txas viii him hecama '.orvirrad that If
,on,.;nad thar. You'll he on o,,tlnrst which
| would nrohahlv resent One 1oy after hear.
| ing n yolIey of profanity hurled at Gen
| Hitchcock. t walked over To the office of tn.
| secretary Of state and said TO Mr. Seward. Il
shall he Glad to return to NV old position. !
know that if Mr.. Stanton talks to me as he
did to Gen. Hitchcock l shall probably slay
him in the face. and then am likely to be
shot before sundown or sent off 70 command
| n regiment. which will be equally disagree
able. as | am entirely ignorant of military
| tactics, So nv commission was never made
| ont and 7 returned to Stewards office
Col Webster next related to me the circum
stances connected with the rullinr of STAN
| toms wbisl,ers Inv Col Treichel who mistook
the secretary Of war for Congressman Kel-
| looo of Micbioon AGAINST whom he had 81,
! old grudge. Col. Treiche,. commanding a
| Michjgan regiment rode on from AlexnndIin
TO Washinrton on n few lorrs' leave Of ah
sence. He met several of his friends at vii
| lar,l's and before long finished witI wine h,
| mounted his horse 10 return to his command
| AS he rode mn PcnrsvIyo,ia r[-enua No oh
served a lc,.,.u. co,.i....,iYr two gentlemen
| 1,,1,~oorLiug him A short qlnnce only wa
necessary to enable him to recognize In the
gentleman seated nearest to him the features
As he sunnosed. of his Old enemy KeIlorp
| Col. Treichel promptly drove his horse !,
front of the appr6aching vehicle and dis
| mounting reached his hand over the side ano
.eizing the man by the wLi,kars gave them
three hard Jerks. Taking out his card from
his vest Doc let he threw t into the mans lar
~ horse and role or to ,,s en-. ,
! ria 80 ,,a,.n;nn 81 T'r.i,Lal WINS s,,,t,
| rnoned h,, taiegrar6 TO ti,a war ofi;ce WLer
,,a o"ta'.,d PAM nroSnca1 a ra,J h,arinIr
at is " renl;aI the co,oncl, looking at il
uPlao.e sinn the NE NAV i,,t" NJ. 9Stonto,
.,,,, I'll PI wa ""' --''0
Nh, moment a., Tre,cLeI entered tbe
room s;ncrriarv stanton rose from his rhoir
md recogniliyc him shock liz fst at In
amJ saiI. irLnt22. +ha mani TaEo HIM avy W,
TIC HORRIBLE truth now Lnrst mon Goi
TreicbeI He had nistnI;rn The secreta,,v 81
war for Congressman EalinnG He had
pulled the wrong mans wbi.ka,s Mr., Stan
ION md Mr. EntIog, looked varT ,rmnh aI;.a
and Cni Tr.icheI had never sesn Ina ernre'
NV of war He Vas stroefieI with omnzo
| rua1t and did ,,ot knew What To do He m
nealed to his friend, CO... Joseph Fl. Taylor
Tor, oss;.tanca To heIr Nm ont IF lie nrn'i;,,a'
n1ant TnleSs he coi,d msIa some satiefar-
tnrv exnIanafion he NoriJ he dismissed from,
The ,rnv CoJ 'Tsv1Hr vos tIn aGirtont
| yapareI on fra stotf If Can Anc,,,r tI'en j.,